Times like these

In the final episode of the current series, Belfast songwriter Andy White concludes the story of writing and recording Good Luck I Hope You Make It  by following the inscrutable logic of the series and looking at opening track The Revolution.Written a month after Best of Times, the pandemic is deepening its hold, lockdown in Melbourne is strict, in the UK people are clapping the NHS in the streets, all over the world, musicians and actors are playing on balconies and performing online. Diving into the recording session to play you some of the layers that contributed to the making of the song, Andy talks about Gil Scott Heron and discovers a vocal take with the original lyrics, written contemporaneously, that tell an alternate story to the album version of the song.After playing the previously unheard rough mix of The Revolution, Andy explains how things have come full circle and wishes to thank all of you for listening to the latest series. There is always more to learn and more to say. We appreciate your support and, if you haven't done so already, please check out the first two series in which Andy talks you through This garden is only temporary and AT. Exclusive outlets to download or buy Andy's albums are below.Good luck we are glad you made it!Podcast art: Sebastian WhiteAndy's albums are available on Bandcamp or www.andywhite.com

Belfast songwriter Andy White tells the story of writing and recording Best of Times from his latest album Good Luck I Hope You Make It. The pandemic is underway, lockdown has happened, and Andy starts writing this track after recording a song for a club in Italy and reading the opening passage of A Tale of Two Cities. Andy dives into the original recording session to play you some of the layers that contributed to the making of the song. He discovers a bizarre alternative ending for the song involving a reenactment of D Cummings' fateful car trip to Durham, and this is included in the unreleased rough mix of the song included here. Thanks for listening, we appreciate your support, and please subscribe if you haven't already. Do check out the first two series in which Andy talks you through This garden is only temporary and AT. Exclusive outlets to download or buy the album are below, plus the LP is on Amazon in the UK and streaming everywhere.See you next time!Podcast art: Sebastian WhiteEmpty Streets of Florence/Nelle Strade Deserte di FirenzeAndy's albums are available on Bandcamp or www.andywhite.com

Belfast songwriter Andy White tells the story of writing and recording Talk Don't Touch from his latest album Good Luck I Hope You Make It. This song became the album's closing track, although it was written and recorded about halfway through the sessions. On March 16 the Victorian government announced a State of Emergency. Airports closed and the lockdown started. Restrictions were severe and news reports from around the world showed why. These and other events, and the prospect of solitary confinement in the studio for an extended period, all went into the song. Andy dives into the original recording session to play you some of the layers that contributed to the making of the song. Hearing the different vocal sections that go to make up the narrative is especially cool. The episode ends with a rough mix which has a completely different ending from the released version. Thanks for listening, we appreciate your support, and please subscribe if you haven't already. Do check out the first two series in which Andy talks you through This garden is only temporary and AT. Exclusive outlets to download or buy the album are below, plus the LP is on Amazon in the UK and streaming everywhere.See you next time!Podcast art: Sebastian WhiteAndy's albums are available on Bandcamp or www.andywhite.com

In which Belfast songwriter Andy White tells the story of writing Self-isolation, opening track from Side 2 of his latest album Good Luck I Hope You Make It. The story so far? It's a few days before St Patrick's Day 2020. Things are locking down in Ireland and Italy. Not so much in Australia, where huge sporting events are taking place, and the UK, where the government is talking about 'herd immunity'. That's where today's episode starts.As ever, Andy dives into the recording session to show how many elements go into making the song, and the episode ends with a version you haven't heard before.Thanks for listening, we appreciate your support, and please subscribe if you haven't already. Exclusive outlets to download or buy the album are below, plus the LP is on Amazon in the UK. See you next time!Podcast art: Sebastian WhiteAndy's albums are available on Bandcamp or www.andywhite.com

There is a lot going on in this week's episode of Irish songwriter Andy White's journey through the writing and recording of his latest album Good Luck I Hope You Make It. Andy starts out by telling the story of the mystery missing track, Every Day is Like Today, which includes a poetry slam (that's a competition at a poetry venue or bar where anyone who puts their name can get up and read). The poets reading their work aren't very good … and that's the point … but this leads in a roundabout way to the next song on the album.Andy talks about poets whose work is written to be read, and who influenced him to write. John Cooper Clarke, and the Liverpool poet Brian Patten who read poems in Andy's English class one Belfast afternoon. Nick Cave's book written on airplane sick bags, Brand New Ancients by Kae Tempest, Yeats, Ode to Autumn—it is early March, the start of autumn in the southern hemisphere, where Andy is writing. He decides to write a song that cycles round the seasons, starting with the line "I will write a book of poems" and employing a James Joyce strategy to ensure the lyrics mirror the seasons.Thanks for listening and please share and subscribe wherever you find your podcasts. If this is your first time, there are two other series to catch up on. Good luck we hope you make it!Podcast art by Sebastian WhiteAndy's albums are available on Bandcamp or www.andywhite.com

Belfast songwriter Andy White is telling the story of the writing and recording of  latest album Good Luck I Hope You Make It and in Episode 3 reaches the title track. This week he confronts the number one question asked of any songwriter and consults Michelle Obama, Bob Dylan, The Beatles and The Undertones for help and inspiration. There are sharp intakes of breath and a gurgling baby is discovered after watching U2 singing in a Kyiv Metro Station.So much to write about! Thanks for listening and please share and subscribe wherever you find your podcasts. If this is your first time, there are two other series to catch up on! Podcast art by Sebastian WhiteAndy's albums are available on Bandcamp or www.andywhite.com

In the second episode Andy wrestles with the dilemma of what to do with a good idea once you've written one song using it, and considers the philosophical question David Cassidy gifted to the human race, "How can I be sure?" This time it's the fourth track on Good Luck I Hope You Make It—The Day You Were Bomb, which started off being called Title Factory.As in every episode, Andy plays excerpts from the master tapes and there is an early demo of the song you won't have heard before. He also reads out a list of references in the song you may not have caught in the lyrics. I could list them here if you are interested—you can text us using the link above. Thanks for supporting the show by sharing and subscribing. Do catch up on series one and two if this is your first time. Good luck I hope we make it and see you next week!Podcast art by Sebastian WhiteAndy's albums are available on Bandcamp or www.andywhite.com

In the first episode of series three, Andy tells the story of how the writing and recording of his latest album Good Luck I Hope You Make It began.On tour in the UK and Ireland at the end of 2019, returning to Australia in the New Year, Andy started writing one album and ended up writing another. One unfinished song was looking for a lyric - and that sparked ideas and a mode for the new album.As ever, Andy plays excerpts from the studio master tapes and includes an early version of a song you won't hear anywhere else. This series is about writing from context - telling your story from where you've been and where you are now. We hope you'll come along for the ride and share and subscribe to this series wherever you find your podcasts. Do catch up on series one and two if this is your first time. See you next week!Podcast artwork by Sebastian WhiteAndy's albums are available on Bandcamp or www.andywhite.com

In the last episode of the second series, Andy looks at his favourite song on the 'AT' album he wrote with Tim Finn. 'Best Fun Time for Ages' started with a confidence, an unexpected party, a line from a sister—and ended up a record. You will hear Tim's original demo recording, Andy's exploration of the multitrack recording, and how the improvised end section came about. It's not A Day in the Life, but that's what the structure ended up resembling. As ever, the episode plays out with the last version of the song before the guys sent it to John Leckie to mix.  Thanks for your support for This podcast is only temporary, Andy says he had the best fun time for ages making this second series. He's off to tour his brand new release 'Good Luck I Hope You Make It' and perhaps that's where the next series will start. Until then, catch up with any episodes you may have missed, and do take care.Best Fun Time for Ages by Finn/WhitePlayed and recorded by Andy and Tim in Melbourne and AucklandStrings by Jonathan DreyfusDrums and artwork by Sebastian WhiteAndy's albums are available on Bandcamp or www.andywhite.com

In the new episode Andy has reached 'It's Family', one of the most personal songs on the 'AT' album. A suggestion from Tim, experiencing a life-changing event, inspired a poem by Andy which Tim adapted into lyrics and added the melody. It's another way to co-write, and this one is a family affair.There are strings, Tim's daughter, and everyone's thinking about Kate Bush. Because everyone is always thinking about Kate Bush. As always, you'll hear a mix that no one has heard before, and the isolated string section is a treat.As Andy mentions at the start of the podcast, in November 2023, minds are on the humanitarian disaster playing out in Gaza. He has just released a new song The Time Has Come For Love. Do listen, and if you download it, proceeds go to Médecins Sans Frontières.In the meantime, please share and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. See you next time.It's Family by Finn/WhitePlayed and recorded by Andy and Tim in Melbourne and AucklandStrings by Jonathan DreyfusArtwork by Sebastian WhiteAndy's albums are available on Bandcamp or www.andywhite.com